Abstract: A tubular metal body includes a tubular part having an opening at one end in an axis direction; and a bottom part disposed at another end of the tubular part in the axis direction. The ratio (Rz1/Rz2) of a surface roughness Rz1 of an outer peripheral surface of the bottom part to a surface roughness Rz2 of an outer peripheral surface of a center portion of the tubular part in the axis direction is in a range of 2 or more and 4000 or less. A Vickers hardness HV1 of the outer peripheral surface of the bottom part is 5 HV or more and 27 HV or less smaller than a Vickers hardness HV2 of the outer peripheral surface of the center portion of the tubular part in the axis direction.

Abstract: A tubular metal body includes a tubular part having an opening at one end in an axis direction; and a bottom part disposed at another end of the tubular part in the axis direction. The ratio (Rz1/Rz2) of a surface roughness Rz1 of an outer peripheral surface of the bottom part to a surface roughness Rz2 of an outer peripheral surface of a center portion of the tubular part in the axis direction is in a range of 2 or more and 4000 or less. A Vickers hardness HV1 of the outer peripheral surface of the bottom part is 5 HV or more and 27 HV or less smaller than a Vickers hardness HV2 of the outer peripheral surface of the center portion of the tubular part in the axis direction.

Abstract: A paper transporting device includes a driving roller member, a driven roller member, a first guiding member and a second guiding member. The driving roller member is rotated. The driven roller member is rotated in contact with the driving roller member. The first guiding member is disposed on a driving roller member side, and guides a paper to a contact portion in which the driving roller member and the driven roller member are in contact with each other. The second guiding member is disposed on a driven roller member side, and guides the paper to the contact portion. The second guiding member partially protrudes inward in a radial direction of the driving roller member from an outer peripheral surface of the driving roller member at a downstream side in a paper transporting direction of the contact portion.

Abstract: A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.

Abstract: A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.

Abstract: A discharge mechanism includes a rotating shaft that is rotatable, a plurality of roll portions provided around the rotating shaft, an opposing member provided above the roll portions so as to oppose the roll portions, the opposing member holding and conveying a material to be conveyed, in cooperation with the roll portions so that the material to be conveyed is discharged onto a discharge section, and a protrusion formed on an outer periphery of the rotating shaft, the protrusion not protruding beyond the outer diameter of the roll portions.

Abstract: A conveying path switching structure includes a cover unit and a conveying path switch unit. The cover unit is attached to an image forming apparatus main body so as to be movable between a close state and an open state in which a fixing unit is exposed. The conveying path switch unit is rotatably attached to the cover unit and that switches a conveying path of a record medium between a discharge conveying path and a double-side conveying path. The discharge conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed from a discharge part of the fixing unit to a discharge unit that discharges the record medium to outside of the image forming apparatus main body in a close state. The double-side conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed again to an image forming unit.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a main body mounted on an image forming apparatus body; a fixing member that is included in the main body and that fixes an image to a recording medium; a pair of conveying rolls that is supported by the main body and that conveys the recording medium to which an image is fixed by the fixing member, the pair of conveying rolls comprising a driven roll and a driving roll disposed under the driven roll; and an exterior portion that is formed in the main body, disposed under the driving roll, forms an exterior face of the main body, and also forms an exterior face of the image forming apparatus body while the main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: A conveying device includes: a rotating roll; a conveying belt that rotates, nipping a conveyed member between the conveying belt and the rotating roll; and a pressing member that is disposed at the inner periphery of the conveying belt and pressing the conveying belt towards the rotating roll. The pressing member includes an opposing face formed with a pressure point where the pressing force of the conveying belt towards the rotating roll is greatest, and an inclined face that is formed at the belt rotation direction upstream side relative to the pressure point. The inclined face inclines at an angle relative to a parallel line such that the inclined face separates away from the rotating roll, and the parallel line being parallel to a tangent to the rotating roll outer peripheral surface and passing through the pressure point.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a heating roll, an endless belt and a pressing body having a hard pressing member and a soft pressing member. The hard pressing member is placed on a downstream of a passage direction of a record medium in a press contact part and forms higher hardness than an elastic layer of the heating roll. The soft pressing member is placed on an upstream of the passage direction from the hard pressing member, and forms lower hardness than the elastic layer. The press contact part is formed in a state in which a first press contact portion of the hard pressing member is longer than a second press contact portion of the soft pressing member. The hard pressing member has an end part opposed to the heating roll on the upstream. The end part has a face approaching the heating roll from the upstream to the downstream.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a pair of fixing rotors, at least one of which has a heating source and both of which are rotated in pressure contact with each other; and a click-shaped peeling member provided on a downstream side of the fixing rotor with respect to a transporting direction of a recording medium and disposed in contact with a surface of the fixing rotor, wherein a tip portion of the click-shaped peeling member which is to come in contact with the fixing rotor is elastically deformed in conformity to a shape of a surface of the fixing rotor when coming in contact with the fixing rotor.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming unit that forms an image on recording paper; a paper feeding unit that feeds the recording paper to the image forming unit; an opening/closing door that is provided to be opened/closed by an operator; a paper conveyance path through which the recording paper is conveyed from the paper feeding unit through the image forming unit to a paper outlet, the paper conveyance path including a maintenance feasible conveyance path and a maintenance infeasible conveyance path that does not allows the operator to maintain even if the opening/closing door is opened; and a residual paper detecting unit that detects residual paper remaining on the maintenance infeasible conveyance path. New recording paper is fed to the paper conveyance path when the residual paper detecting unit has detected the residual paper after opening and closing the opening/closing door.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a main body mounted on an image forming apparatus body; a fixing member that is included in the main body and that fixes an image to a recording medium; a pair of conveying rolls that is supported by the main body and that conveys the recording medium to which an image is fixed by the fixing member, the pair of conveying rolls comprising a driven roll and a driving roll disposed under the driven roll; and an exterior portion that is formed in the main body, disposed under the driving roll, forms an exterior face of the main body, and also forms an exterior face of the image forming apparatus body while the main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus body.

Abstract: A conveying device includes: a rotating roll; a conveying belt that rotates, nipping a conveyed member between the conveying belt and the rotating roll; and a pressing member that is disposed at the inner periphery of the conveying belt and pressing the conveying belt towards the rotating roll. The pressing member includes an opposing face formed with a pressure point where the pressing force of the conveying belt towards the rotating roll is greatest, and an inclined face that is formed at the belt rotation direction upstream side relative to the pressure point. The inclined face inclines at an angle relative to a parallel line such that the inclined face separates away from the rotating roll, and the parallel line being parallel to a tangent to the rotating roll outer peripheral surface and passing through the pressure point.

Abstract: A paper transporting device includes a driving roller member, a driven roller member, a first guiding member and a second guiding member. The driving roller member is rotated. The driven roller member is rotated in contact with the driving roller member. The first guiding member is disposed on a driving roller member side, and guides a paper to a contact portion in which the driving roller member and the driven roller member are in contact with each other. The second guiding member is disposed on a driven roller member side, and guides the paper to the contact portion. The second guiding member partially protrudes inward in a radial direction of the driving roller member from an outer peripheral surface of the driving roller member at a downstream side in a paper transporting direction of the contact portion.

Abstract: A sheet pressing device includes plurality of pressing members and a support member. The plurality of pressing members is provided on a downstream side in a discharging direction of fixing unit which carries out a fixing treatment over a sheet having an unfixed image transferred thereonto along the discharging direction. The plurality of pressing members presses both ends of the sheet in a direction along a surface of the sheet carried out the fixing treatment by the fixing unit and in a direction crossing the discharging direction. The support member supports the plurality of pressing members movably in such a direction as to approach or separate from the sheet when the sheet passes through the sheet pressing device.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises a heating roll; an endless belt; and a pressurizing member that forms a pressure contact portion for pushing the endless belt against an outer peripheral surface part of the heating roll from an inner peripheral surface side of the pressurizing member so that a recording medium holding an unfixed image passes between the pressure contact portion and the heating roll, wherein the pressurizing member includes: a hard pressurizing member and a soft pressurizing member the hard pressurizing member, and the soft pressurizing member are disposed in a state in which a clearance is present between the hard pressurizing member and the soft pressurizing member in a specific region part so that at least a specific recording medium passes in a fixing region of the pressure contact portion in the rotating axis direction of the heating roll.

Abstract: A conveying path switching structure includes a cover unit and a conveying path switch unit. The cover unit is attached to an image forming apparatus main body so as to be movable between a close state and an open state in which a fixing unit is exposed. The conveying path switch unit is rotatably attached to the cover unit and that switches a conveying path of a record medium between a discharge conveying path and a double-side conveying path. The discharge conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed from a discharge part of the fixing unit to a discharge unit that discharges the record medium to outside of the image forming apparatus main body in a close state. The double-side conveying path is a path where the record medium is conveyed again to an image forming unit.

Abstract: A fixing unit includes a heating roll, an endless belt and a pressing body having a hard pressing member and a soft pressing member. The hard pressing member is placed on a downstream of a passage direction of a record medium in a press contact part and forms higher hardness than an elastic layer of the heating roll. The soft pressing member is placed on an upstream of the passage direction from the hard pressing member, and forms lower hardness than the elastic layer. The press contact part is formed in a state in which a first press contact portion of the hard pressing member is longer than a second press contact portion of the soft pressing member. The hard pressing member has an end part opposed to the heating roll on the upstream. The end part has a face approaching the heating roll from the upstream to the downstream.

Abstract: A fixing device comprises: a pair of fixing rotors, at least one of which has a heating source and both of which are rotated in pressure contact with each other; and a click-shaped peeling member provided on a downstream side of the fixing rotor with respect to a transporting direction of a recording medium and disposed in contact with a surface of the fixing rotor, wherein a tip portion of the click-shaped peeling member which is to come in contact with the fixing rotor is elastically deformed in conformity to a shape of a surface of the fixing rotor when coming in contact with the fixing rotor.